First to be Sorted, First to Graduate
by Toasty
Summary: "A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause- "HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat." A Hannah Abbott story.


Hannah Abbott has been whining in my ear for the last three days and she won't stop, so I'm hoping this will help me lose her. I don't own any of the characters and I know it's very short. I'm considering posting her Graduation speech, but I don't know if I want to yet.

First to be Sorted, First to Graduate.

"My name is Hannah Abbott. I am eighteen years old, I am a Hufflepuff at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizadry, and I am graduating today. This is my story.

"I am a half-blood, like many other Hufflepuffs tend to be. My father is a pure-blood wizard, my mother is a muggle. When he went to Hogwarts my father was aRavenclaw. He was less than happy when I was sorted into Hufflepuff.

"Most of my years at Hogwarts have been quite normal- as normal as years at a magical school can be, that is. My classes have contained wizards famous before they could utter their first words, and witches capable of things they never knew they were.

"My house was a quiet one. Our commonroom, decorated in pale yellows and heavy oak furniture, was hidden in the castle's north wing on the second floor. From my dormitory you could look out the window and have a perfect view of not only the greenhouses, but also the lake and the forbidden forest. The head of Hufflepuff, Professor Sprout, enjoyed this view so immensly that she offered Susan Bones, a roommate of mine, six galleons to paint it so she could hang it in her office.

"It took Susan three months to paint it and another three weeks to get the smell of paint out of our room. In the end she only took four galleons.

"My best subject through my years was Potions, amazingly, followed closely by Herbology, of course. Despite his aversion to not only Hufflepuffs, but to students in general, Professor Snape, the potions master, was more than willing over the years to answer my questions concerning "the art of potion making." As long as I asked, that is, after the rest of the class had left.

"I've never been one to date, so Hogwarts has never been a social place for me. Hogsmeade trips would be made with one fo my roommates or a Ravenclaw I had grown close to. I atteneded each of Hogwarts' three dances with Justin Finch-Fletchley, but he was always too good of a friend for anything to happen with. I've never felt I was missing out because of this. Hogwarts is a school, and a wonderful one at that.

"For most of my years I would sit and dream about what today would be like, and what I would do afterwards. I always imagined that I would go off and Travel the world. I could visit Egypt, Africa, Japan, and the States. I've even thought of opening a potions shop in Diagon Alley. Most likely I'll take up an apritenceship with a practiciting medi-witch and end up working at St. Mungo's.

"But I'm getting sidetracked. Graduation. My entire family is here, you see. It's making me a bit nervous. My grandparents never really got along with each other, and I don't want to be embarassed.

"I'm graduating highest in Hufflepuff. In overall standings I'm still behind a Gryffindor (Hermione Granger, she's valedictorian, you see), a Slytherin, and two Ravenclaws, but it doesn't bother me. I've worked very hard for my high grades and, unlike the Slytherin, I didn't have to cheat to get them.

"I can't wait to walk out there though. Since I am highest in my house I'm giving a speech, and although I'm a bit nervous I know I'll do alright. Sally-Anne Perks has been helping me with memorizing it and I'm pretty sure I've got it all down. I would recite it to you, but I want it to be a bit of a surprise.

"You do understand, don't you?"

A chubby brunette came rocketing around the corner. "There you are Hannah! Susan and I have been looking all over for you! We're due on the green in ten minutes!"

Hannah nodded her blonde head. "I'll be there in just a minute, Sally-Anne." The brunette gave her friend a disbelieving look. "I will. I promise. Just give me a minute, I'll catch up."

"Oh all right," Sally-Anne mumbled, disappearing around the corner.

Hannah sighed and smiled up at the painting she had been talking to. The painted blonde smiled back.

"I hope you don't mind me talking to you," Hannah confessed, "It's just that I am a little nervous."

"Oh it was wonderful dear," the painting replied with a smile, "although I'm afraid I'm going to miss you now that you're leaving." The two blondes laughed.

Hannah smoothed out a wrinkle in her graduatuion gown, a light gold color, and placed her pointed hat of the same shade upon her head. "Well," she asked, "how do I look?"

"Stunning," her friend replied, "The gown matches your hair perfectly, and I just adore yellow."

Hannah laughed. "So do I. Justin and the rest of the Hufflepuff boys have to wear black though. But I've got to go," she glanced down the corridor, "I'm sure Sally-Anne and Susan are waiting for me. It was wonderful talking to you."

The painting nodded, "Likewise."

As she rushed off to meet her friends, Hannah Abbott took no notice of the dust fluttering off the large painting, revealing its nameplate to the empty hall.

"_Helga Hufflepuff_," it read, "_Aged eighteen years, having met Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Godric Gryffindor the year before_."

Fin.


End file.
